Tensions between North Korea and the US have escalated rapidly after a US Navy strike group was deployed towards the Korean peninsula in a show of military force.

It comes after Donald Trump discussed North Korea with the Chinese President in Florida and ordered the bombing of a Syrian airbase last week.

After North Korea warned that its military is prepared to defend the nation, here are the latest warnings and live updates on the situation.

Wednesday 03:42 BST: North Korea should halt any plans for nuclear and missile activities "for its own security", a Chinese newspaper said on Wednesday, warning that the United States is making clear it doesn't plan to "co-exist" with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

03:35am BST: The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (MSDF) may carry out helicopter landings on the USS Carl Vinson, which was deployed near the Korean peninsula in the wake of Kim Jong-un’s missile tests.It is believed the joint military drills are to be carried out as a show of strength towards Kim Jong-un’s regime.An anonymous source told Reuters: "Japan wants to dispatch several destroyers as the Carl Vinson enters the East China Sea."One source who told Reuters about the drills has direct knowledge of the plan, while the other has reportedly been briefed.

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10pm BST: US stocks have ended down but well off the day's lows today with worries over US, Russia, Syria and North Korea tensions. The worries drove investors into gold and other safe-haven assets and pushed up the CBOE Volatility index, Wall Street's "fear gauge," which closed above 15 for the first time since Election Day.Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey, said: “Geopolitical risk is the focal point right now.”

9.50pm BST: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says the movement of a US Navy strike group toward the western Pacific Ocean is not tied to a specific event.

Mr Mattis said it is a “prudent move” as the Carl Vinson moves toward the Korean peninsula.

Speaking during a Pentagon press briefing Mr Mattis said: “As far as the movement of the Carl Vinson, she is stationed there in the Western Pacific for a reason, she operated freely, up and down the Pacific, and she is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time.

“As far as the movement of the (Carl) Vinson, she is stationed there in the Western Pacific for a reason, she operated freely, up and down the Pacific, and she is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time.”

8.30pm BST: US stocks have eased as mounting geopolitical tensions drove investors out of riskier assets.

With about an hour left to the session, the S&P 500 was off its lowest levels of the day, though.

US officials have stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely US course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, but Washington has said all options – including military ones – are on the table.

It said a US strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.

“I think he has been very clear that he will not tolerate some of this action by North Korea,” he said. “I think I have said this before on a variety of topics, the president is not someone who is going to go out there and telegraph his response.”

Mr Spicer further said Mr Trump was keeping his options on the table but any direct response to North Korea would be “decisive and proportional”.

A ship-tracking screen shows cargo ships returning to Nampo port in North Korea

Noon BST: North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper threatened that the country is prepared to respond to US aggression with a nuclear attack on America.

"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the US mainland," it said.

11am BST: A fleet of North Korean cargo ships, mainly fully laden, are heading home after China told its trading companies to return coal from the isolated country, shipping data shows.

Following repeated missile tests that drew international criticism, China banned all imports of North Korean coal in February – cutting off the country's most important export product.

9am BST: North Korea is today convening its Supreme People's Assembly session. It comes before the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung on Saturday.

North Korea often marks important anniversaries with military parades and tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.